Projectile and method of controlling the flight thereof



June 30, 1925.

A. E. HENDERSON PROJECTILE AND METHOD OVF CONTROLLING THEI FLIGHT THEREOF Filed Jan Patented June 30, 1925.

ALBERT ENNIS HENDERSON, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

PROJECTILE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE FLIGHT THEREOF.

Application filed January 14, 191s. serial No.211,8e3.

a projectile and a method of controllingl the flight thereof whereby it. is adapted to accurately maintain a head-on position, particularly in the course of penetration of fluids of different -densities and resistances, and under conditions wherein, during the flight, there is a more or less abrupt change in the densities of the penetrated fluids, as for example, when being discharged into and traveling for a considerable distance through the air, it encounters water; and furthermore to provide such a construction of projectile for use in this general connection, as to be` to a. greater or less extent inherently dirigible and possessed, when discharged or liberated, of a power adapting it to forcibly and through inherent properties to advance through the medium traversed with a relatively undiminished velocity.

The specific object of the invention is to provide a projectile and means for cont-rolling the flight thereof, whereby it may be discharged from a rapidly or slowly moving vehicle, such as an aeroplane or dirigible balloon, or a vessel designed and operating as a water craft whereby the progressive movement of the vehicle from which the discharge is effected is neutralized or rendered relatively negligible as affecting the position ofthe projectile, or its axial line of progress, to avoid the disadvantage heretofore experienced in the projection of elongated missiles in a. direction transverse to the progress of the vehicle, of having the projectile turn or tip and thus assume a side- Wise position which materially affects or destroys its utility or efficiency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a projectile or offensive missile in which by reason of its construction the force of gravity may be utilized as an important factor during progress through the air in causing effective penetration of and progress through a subsequently encountered denser fluid such as water, in the development of a means for successfully attacking and destroying submarine vessels l and other submerged ob'ects.

Further objects and a vantages of the in'- vent-ion will appear in the course of the following description, it being obvious that changes in form, proportion and details of construction, armament and explosive features, may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims Without departure from the spirit of the disclosure.

In the drawings illust-rating one embodiment of the invention,

Figure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating methods of discharge of a projectile from both aerial and submerged stations or initial points. .f

Figure 2 is a detail view' of a projectile embodying the invent-ion with which is associated a discharging means suitable for use in connection with either aerial or water craft, said means being for convenience illustrated in section.

Essentially, the invention resides in imparting a rotatory `movement to an axially elongated projectile having exposed or exteriorly arranged spirally disposed wings or flanges-Which are disposed at a pitch designed to represent or coincide with the resultant of the axial and rotatory movements,

or in such relation to such resultant as to exert a backward pressure upon the medium traversed and thus serve as a. forwardly impelling means.

When the missile is to be used in connection with and discharged from an aerial craft such as an aeroplane or the like, which at the time may be loca-ted at a considerable elevation above the surface of the water which must be penetrated to a greater or less depth in order to reach the submarine or other objective, it will be suflicient to impart to the projectile a rotatory movement at a velocity of revolution which may be determined in advance to suit the conditions of use and the obstacles to be overcome in that connection, depending upon the force of gravity, if the missile is discharged within a vertically or approximately vertically downward direction, as the main force for giving the projectile the required axially progressive movement. Inasmuch, however, as the velocity of movement of a projectile discharged under these conditions will increase under the law of gravity, as it descends through the atmosphere, the initial rotatory velocity may be considerably greater than that which, in connection with the initial speed of axial movement would be represented as a resi ltant by the inclination of the s iral webs, wings or flanges which are s own in the drawing as applied to the body of the shell 1l and which are shown as disposed progressively from one end thereof to the other. On the other hand, if

. the initial velocity of rotation imparted to the projectile is such that the pitch of the spiral webs or flanges will coincide approximately with the resultant of said rotahigh rate of speed while the gyratory effect vdue to the rotation serves to maintain the accuracy of direction of the flight, with the result that the missile may be caused to rapidly and accurately penetrate the denser fluid represented by the water in which the submarine or other object of attack may be submerged to a greater or less extent.

The method of using a projectile of this type when discharged from an air craft is graphically illustrated at X in Figure 1 of the drawings, while at Y there is shown the relative position and line of progress of ya similar missile discharged from a'submerged point, as from the torpedo tube of a water craft. These two methods are illustrated, however, more as the basis of comparison than otherwise in view of the fact that the primary object in view is to provide for the use of destructive missiles from an air craft which may be used for scouting purposes and which, by reason of its elevation above the surface of the water, enables the observer to visually penetrate the latter to a considerable depth, and assuming that the speed of the air craft, after the submerged vessel has been sighted, is timed to agree with that of said vessel, a torpedo as shown at- D may be caused to enter the water in approximately the same vertical relation as that occupied by it when discharged, being obviously carried forward by its momentum during descent through the air, and held from angular deflection by the ygyratoryA movement which has been imparted to it at the moment of discharge. Therefore, assuming that a projectile of a len h of three feet is employed, with a pitch o flange corresponding with an advance of three feet for each revolution, it is obvious that a rotatory speed of two thousand revolutions per minute should result inthe multiple of these factors, orsix thousand feet r minute.

It is intended thatv the projectile shall enter the water or denser fluid at a velocity,- axial and rotatory, corresponding with the pitch of the spiral webs or flanges whereby such entrance may be leffected with Ia mimmum of the resistance or impedance and under such conditions as toA permit of an effective continuance of both axial and rotatory movements at relatively unaffected velocities, and hence with a enetrating energy which is due to the com ination of the forces causing said movements.

That is to say, when, for example, the projectile is released from an elevated point of suspension at an estimated distance above the vsurface of the water it will, due to gravity, have a definite falling speed (which 1s an axial velocity owin to the gyratory influence of thel rotating o ject), and the rotary velocity to be imparted to such projectile, in order to secure the best results, should be such that when the projectile penetrates the surface of or enters the water the spirally disposed webs or flanges thereof shall accurately, or as nearly as possible, represent the resultant of the two forces, or the two velocities,-axial and rotary, so that they (the webs or flan es) will enter the water longitudinally an therefore without appreciable resistance, to the end that both the axial or progressive and the revoluble movements of the projectile ma be continued with relativel unabated e ect to ensure the accurate an rapid approach of the missile toward the objective. The speed of rotation at the moment of delivery or release of the projectile, which is to receive its progressive impulse by gravity, should be coordinated with the speed of progression of the projectile which will be possessed by it at the moment of penetration of the water, to correspond with the pitch of the spiral webs or flanges, and as the angular pitch of the latter is a known uantity and the elevation of the point of elivery may be absolutely determined by scientifically recise instruments, this desirable coordination of the speed of rotation with the said known factors may be gauged to a nicet and may, for convemence, be indicated to t e operator by a prearranged scale.

Should the projectile have an axial velocity in excess of an accurate coordination of the two forces, the effect of contact of the flanges with the water will be to increase the velocity of the revolution and hence, as the force of gravity remains constant, the speed of progress or penetration of the projectile will be increased proportionately.

Inasmuch as the imparting of rotatory movement to the projectile before or at the moment of release, or the imparting of an initial movement thereto by mechanical, explosive or propulsive means, is not indispensable, and inasmuch as any means for so imparting an initial ro'tatory movement would of necessity constitute or involve a structure or organism which is inventively separate and distinct from the present invent-ion, and inasmuch as many well known agencies might be employed for this p-urpose, it is deemed unnecessary to specifically include such a device in the illustration hereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. The method of controlling the trajectory of a missile of axially elongated form,

which consists in providing it from its nose rearwardly with spiral flanges and imparting toit axial and rotatory impulses in relative velocities of which the pitch of the flanges coincides approximately with the resultant line of force.

2. The method of controlling the trajectory of a missile of axially elongated form, which consists in providing it with exterior spirally progressive webs or flanges and imparting to it axial and rotatory impulses at relative velocities combining to form a resultant force with which the itch of said webs or anges coincides, sai flanges extending to the point of penetration.

3. The method of controlling the trajectory of Ian axially elongated spirally ,and continuously flanged missile which consists in imparting axial and rotary impulses thereto at relative velocities of which the flange representsthe resultant.

4. The method of controlling the trajectory of an axially elongated spirally and continuously flanged missile whlch consists in imparting 'thereto a rotatory impulse at an initial velocity affording a forward pressure bv the medium traversed upon the surface of the flange.

5. The method of controlling the flight of a projectile in a heavier-than-air medium which consists in imparting to a sus ended, gravity-propelled, spirally-fianged Ecdy a rotatory motion at an angular velocity which is coordinated with the acquired speed of projection atan estimated distance from the point of delivery.

6. A missile designed to penetrate fluid media of varying densities said missile having an approximately cylindrical body provided with a plurality of spiral flanges extending from end to end of such body each fiange extending approximately once around the body, substantially as set forth.

7. An approximately cylindrical missile designed to penetrate fluid media of various density said missile having a spiral flange extending approximately once around the cylindrical portion of the missile and termnatin adjacent opposite ends thereof,

.substantially as set forth.

8. The method of controlling a gravity impelled projectile having spiral flanges by imparting thereto arotary speed so proportioned to the downward speed and the pitch of the flanges that the flanges will guide it in water without resistance other than that arisingfrom their cross-sectional area, substantially as set forth.

9. The method of controllingr a gravity impelled projectile having spiral flanges by imparting thereto a rotaryspeed so proportioned to the downward speed and the pitch of the flanges as to impart the maximum guiding effect with a minimum of resistance due to said flanges, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT ENNIS HENDERSON.

Witnesses:

EDWIN L. BRADFoRD, M. D. BALLAUF. 

